The
State Board of Education has approved a five-year education technology
plan that commits to readying students to thrive in the “Digital
Age” by building on past successes and strengthening the commitment
to effective use of technology for all students.

The draft
plan was submitted for public comment in August and modified at today’s
meeting based on the comments received during the comment period. “Digital-Age
Learning” builds upon the first state technology plan adopted in
1995. That plan outlined many of the strategies used to help Illinois
from 49th in the nation to first in the nation in the use of digital technology
in K – 12 education.

The purpose
of the 2002 – 2007 Illinois State Technology Plan is to set a course
for the convergence of technology literacy, higher-order thinking, 21st
Century skills, and academic standards for Illinois students.

The plan
outlines the progress of the state since the 1995 plan and specifies the
goals and strategies to guide the state in building on that progress over
the next five years. Strategies fall within four primary spending categories:
hardware, software, infrastructure and personnel development. Using the
strategies to reach every student and every teacher in the state over
the next five years will take an investment of a little over one billion
dollars, the report estimates. However, the annual business plan and available
budget to carry out the 5-year plan will have to be sensitive to the economic
conditions and priorities of the state.

“These
policy drivers are intended as a framework that will guide decisions and
actions during the next five years and allow for course corrections as
they are needed,” the report states. “Implementation of the
drivers will include a review of the State Board technology policy identification
of additional standards and benchmarks, decision on funding practices,
and development of a fully crafted plan for eliminating the digital divide
and ensuring that all students benefit from technology.”